US President Donald Trump on Monday (local time) expressed his willingness to meet with his Chinese and Russian counterparts, Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, but highlighted that the meeting would focus on denuclearisation efforts rather than ending the Ukraine war.
Trump’s proposed meeting with Xi, Putin: What’s on the agenda
Trump told reporters, "I would do it — not so much for Ukraine, because Russia, frankly, has been fine on Ukraine," and added, "We would have it to talk about nuclear weapons and denuclearization. We would schedule a meeting based on the denuclearization, and that’s a very positive thing for the world," Bloomberg reported.
While there is no final confirmation of such a meeting, Trump has suggested that it could happen in Beijing during his scheduled visit to China in November for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit and talks with Xi on the sidelines.
Addressing reporters, he said, “If they’d like to have it, I think it would be held in China. He just left here,” referring to Xi’s recent visit to Washington. “If President Xi wants to have it, I’d have it. I’m sure we’re talking about other things like trade too, but yeah, I would do that.”
There is also no official confirmation of the proposed meeting’s agenda. However, according to AFP, when pressed on whether he would discuss Ukraine at the summit, Trump said he would do "whatever I can do to end the war."
Putin proposes three-way meeting with Trump, Xi: Here’s what the Kremlin said
The US president’s remarks came a day after The Wall Street Journal reported that Putin had proposed a three-way meeting with Trump and Xi in November to discuss the Ukraine war and negotiate an end favourable to Moscow.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said: "Given that all three heads of state might potentially attend a summit in China, the topic of such a hypothetical meeting has indeed been mentioned."
Peskov added, "No substantive proposals or agreements, neither regarding the meeting itself nor its potential agenda and content, have been discussed or put forward by anyone".
The proposal was reportedly made by Putin during his 9 October phone call with Trump. A potential three-way meeting between Putin, Trump and Xi in China would mark a big step for the Chinese president amid his continued efforts to elevate Beijing’s role as a diplomatic power broker.
While sources told The Wall Street Journal that Russian officials had proposed the idea to China through diplomatic channels and that Beijing had indicated its willingness, provided the US president was on board, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said she had no information about a possible meeting.
The remarks come as Trump has recently softened his tone towards Putin while directing sharper criticism at Ukraine.
Trump softens stance on Putin, steps up criticism of Ukraine
During the same phone call in which Putin reportedly floated the idea of a three-way meeting, the US president discussed Russian diesel supplies to the US and subsequently announced a deal. In a Truth Social post, Trump said Russia had agreed to immediately supply 300,000 tonnes of diesel to the US, followed by another 500,000 tonnes in November and an additional one million tonnes "immediately thereafter."
A week later, he further softened his stance on Russia by announcing a waiver of Russia-related sanctions under the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, citing national interest.
Amid this, the US president has ratcheted up his criticism of Ukraine and its leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, accusing him of not doing enough to end the war as Kyiv targeted Moscow’s energy infrastructure. In the last few weeks, Trump has called on Ukrainians to appoint a new president and accused Zelenskyy of using money from Europe and former President Joe Biden to continue his war efforts.
The meeting remains unconfirmed, and it remains to be seen whether Xi will endorse the proposal amid concerns over growing bonhomie between China, Russia and the US
About the Author
Swati Gandhi
Swati Gandhi is a digital journalist with over four years of experience, specialising in international and geopolitical issues. Her work focuses on foreign policy, global power shifts, and the political and economic forces shaping international relations, with a particular emphasis on how global developments affect India. She approaches journalism with a strong belief in context-driven reporting, aiming to break down complex global events into clear, accessible narratives for a wide readership.<br><br> Previously, Swati has worked at Business Standard, where she covered a range of beats including national affairs, politics, and business. This diverse newsroom experience helped her build a strong grounding in reporting, while also strengthening her ability to work across both breaking news and in-depth explanatory stories. Covering multiple beats early in her career has helped her be informed about her current work, allowing her to connect domestic developments with wider international trends.<br><br> At Live Mint, she focuses on international and geopolitical issues through a business and economic lens, examining how global political developments, foreign policy decisions, and power shifts impact markets, industries, and India’s strategic and economic interests.<br><br> She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University. Her academic training has shaped her emphasis on precision, analytical rigour, and clarity in writing. Her interests include global political economy and the intersection of geopolitics with business.<br><br> Outside work, Swati focuses on exploring her passion and love for food. From fancy cafes to street spots, Swati explores food like a true foodie.